Machine for lap-seaming sheet-metal tubes



5 (NoModel.) M

F. B. `LOTZE.

MACHINE EOE LAP SEAMING SHEET METAL TUBES. No. 524,554. Patented Aug.14, 1894.

I m Z UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK B. LOTZE, OF AVONDALE, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR LAP-SEAMING SHEET-METAL TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,554, dated August14, 1894.

Application filed December 16, 1593. Serial No. 493,831. (No model.)

the hot air pipes of furnaces. i

The invention will be first fully described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, and then particularly referred to and pointed outin the claims.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are indicated by similarreference letters wherever they occur throughout the variousviews-*Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodyingmyimprovements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same through lineFig. l looking to the left. Fig. 3 is a detail view in axial sectionupon an enlarged scalel of the seam formingwheels. Fig. 4 is a detailview in vertical section of the front and end of the upper bracket armand bearing for the forming wheels shaft. Fig. 5 is a front elevation ofthe gage and support for the inj 11er end of the tube while the seam isbeing formed. Fig. 6 is a detail view in edge elevation ofthe bearing orrestfor the opposite end of the tube. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are sectionalviews of a portion of the tube illustrating the different-steps informing the joint or seam which unites the sections.

The head stock of the machine is mounted in a hollow column A, which issecured in any suitable manner upon the stand B, the head bracket C',and on top of the head stock is a `similar bracket C2, these bracketsfurnish the supports for the outer bearings of the shafts D. and E, theupper one D, carrying the forming wheels F. and G. and the lower onecarrying the plain anvil wheel H, the rearbearings d, and e, for'theshafts D. and E. having their edges grooved to fit the V shaped bearingsin the rear upright c', of the head stock C, the

upper box of the bearing e, and the lower box of the bearing d, beingunited by rods d. The shafts D. and E. are geared together by the cogwheels e', and d2, which are secured upon the rear ends of the shaftsD,and E.

The bearings for the shaft E, are fixed, while the front bearing cl3, ofthe shaft D, is arranged to slide vertically between lugs c2, whichproject downwardly from the forward end of the bracket arm O2, thebearing has an inwardly projecting lug d, to overlap the end of thespring c3, which is secured underneath the arm C2, the pressure of thespring being upward.

Tapped in the forward end of arm C2, is a tail screw c", the 4diminishedlower end of which enters the perforation in the bearing cl3, by meansof this 4'screw the bearing is forced downwardly to bring the wheels F.and G. in the direction of the wl1eel H,when the screw c4, is turnedbackward the spring c3, forces the bearing up and separates the seamforming wheels.

The adjacent `faces of the seam forming wheels F, and G, are formed theone counter to the other, the face of thej wheel` F, being dished orconcave, the opposite face of the wheel G, is convex or beveled counterto the inwardly inclined bevel of the wheel F. The wheel G, is securedupon the end of the shaft D. As shown the end of the shaft is screwthreaded and the wheel G, tapped and screwed up tightly against thewasher g, ,the screw being a left hand one so that in use the tendencyis to tighten the wheel upon the shaft. The wheel F, is splined upon theshaft D, and the bore of both wheels is enlarged to receive a strongspiral spring I, the office of which is to hold the wheel F, firmlyagainst the collar f, when the shaft is forced forward in its bearing toseparate the wheelsF and G.

The shaft D is arranged to slide longitudinally in its bearings for thepurpose of forcing the wheel G, away from the wheel F, or drawing itnearer to said wheel F. The shaft D, is moved longitudinally by a leverJ, the opposite ends of which are coupled to loose collars d5, and lr.,which are held respectively on the shafts D, and K, between fixedcollars d, and 7c', the arms of the lever IOO tical web by the fulcrumpin j.

Vthe flange of the bracket and have their diminished ends screw threadedto receive nuts to hold the bed plate firmly in position. The

center of the bed plate arches over the shaft` E. Upon this bed plate isiitted to slide a gage M, which is formed of segments of dif ferentdiameters and has a rearwardly pro-Y jecting rod m, which passes throughthe arm. l', which projects up from the bed plate and has a set screwm', to hold the gage M, in

any desired position on the bed plate. The purpose of the rod m, and setscrew m', is to adjust the gage to the different lengths of tubes whichare to be united.

Secured upon the stand B, is a hollow column N, and n, is a shaft of 4 ayoke n', which 3 shaft fits into the hollow column N, and is verticallyadjustable by means of perfora-l tions passing through both the columnand; the shaft to receive a pin by which the yoke v is elevated orlowered, the yoke n', is fitted with vulcanite or fiber friction wheelsfm2, upon which ithe tube rests. There are differ-v ent sizes of theseyokes to accommodate the different sizes of tubes to be seamed or unitedupon the machine.

The operation of the machine is as follows`:--Two sections of tube to beunited,V

having had their opposite ends formed by the machines now in common use,are placed together as shown in Fig. 7, the two parts are then placed inposition to be operated upon'` by the machine, the inner end of one tuberesting upon the larger segment m2, and the opposite end resting in thesupport n. The wheels F, and G, are separated sufficiently to permitithe bead on the end of the tube to pass between them, the wheels F, andG, are

then brought down upon the wheel H, wheels 1 F, and G, are then broughttogether by turning the small hand wheel h4, until the parts embraced bythe wheels are brought together as shown in Fig. 8. The shaftsD, and E,are then revolved by the crank E', revolving the tubes at the same timeand closing the joints entirely around at an inclination to the axis ofthe tube as seen in Fig. 8. The wheels F,

and G, are then separated and elevated by means of thc tail screw c4.The inner end of the tube is, then placed upon the smaller segment lmi",and the grooved portion g', of the wheel brought over the inclined seamof the tube, thepwheel G, is then brought down over 'the inclined seampressing it down flat as seen in Fig. 9, thenby revolving the crank theseam is fiattened down and the joint completed.

It is obvious that the column A,head stock C, and the brackets C', andC2, may be cast in a single piece, and that many other merely mechanicalchanges may be made in the device without' departing from the spirit andscope of my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tube scanning machine the combination of the supporting column,the head stock having fixed brackets projecting laterally from one sidethereof, and parallel with each other, the parallel shafts D, E,n1ountedin said head stock the said shaft D, being adjustable longitudinally inits bearing and at its forward end to and from the shaft E, the cogwheels gearing the shafts together, the plain wheel H, on the end ofshaft E, the forming wheels F, and G, on the end of shaft D, said wheelG, being fixed to move longitudinally with the shaft and the wheel F,splinedto permit -the shaft to move longitudinally through it,

and means such as shown to move the shaft D, longitudinally in itsbearings and vertically to close and separate the seam forming wheels F,G, H. A

2. The combination of the head stock, the fixed shaft F., having wheelH, secured thereon the longitudinal adjustable shaft D, mounted in saidhead stock parallel with shaft E, and above it, the cog wheels e', d2,gearing the shafts together, said shaft D, being longitudinallyadjustable in its bearings and its forward end vertically adjustable inrelation to wheel H, the wheel G, grooved around its periphery andbeveled upon its inner face said wheel being secured upon the end of theshaft E, and the wheel F, having its face concave and splined upon shaftD, the bearing d3, of the outer end of the shaft D, fitted to slidevertically in the head stock, the screw shaft K, the lever L, fulcrumedin the head stock and connected to shafts K, and D, to move the shaft D,longitudinally in its bearings and the tail screw c4, to adj ust theforming wheels to or from the wheel H, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. The combination of the head stock the parallel shafts mountedtherein, one of said shafts being fixed and the other one movable, thewheel H, mounted upon the fixed shaft and the wheels F, G, upon themovable shaft, the bearing d3, fitted to slide in the head stock, thetail screw for forcing the bearing down and bringing -theforming wheelsin the direction of the wheel H, the spring c3, to force the bearing upwhen the tail screw is reversed, the bed plate'L, and the adjustable segmentalbearing M, fitted to slide upon the bed plate L, and support theinner end of the tube while the seam is being formed,substantial1y asshown and described. l

4. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth in a tubeseaming machine, of "a pair of seam forming rolls, having their IOO ITO

Isc,

adjacent faces inclined in relation with their axes and movable to andfrom each other for the purpose of uniting the opposite ends of two tubesections, and inclining the partially formed seam atan angle to thetube, one of said rolls having a grooved periphery counter to the ridgeformed by the completed seam for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the shafts D, E, geared together, the rolls F, G,H, on the ends of said shafts, the bed plate L, and the segmentalsupport M, adjustable upon said bed plate, substantially as shown anddescribed.

6. The combination of the stand, the sup-

